Harry S. Truman

Lore & Background

Harry S. Truman is the sheriff at the Twin Peaks Sheriff's Department. Shortly after homecoming queen Laura Palmer is murdered, FBI agent Dale Cooper comes to Twin Peaks to solve the case, and the two quickly become friends and work together closely, although Truman is initially startled by Cooper's idiosyncratic nature. Truman is secretly seeing Josie Packard, whom to their knowledge, no one knows about. When questioning Josie about her connection with Laura Palmer, Cooper suspects Truman and Josie's relationship due to his body language, which Truman confirms is true.

Josie expresses her concerns about Catherine and Ben to Truman, believing that they killed her husband Andrew and that they are going to kill her next. Truman has an ongoing feud with Cooper's FBI partner Albert Rosenfield, Truman being immediately bothered by Albert's difficult behavior. After Albert insults the town and the deceased Laura Palmer, Truman punches Albert, who falls to the floor. Truman later takes Albert by the collar, frustrated with Albert insulting him, but is calmed down when Albert says his motives are built on the foundation of love, saying 'I love you, Sheriff Truman,' and leaving.

Truman and Albert are friendly for the remainder of the show. Cooper gets shot at the end of the season 1 finale, and the shooter is revealed to be someone else. Truman runs to Josie after he finds out, seeing the dead body of Thomas Eckhardt whom Josie killed, and commands Josie to put her gun down. Josie then collapses on her bed, with Truman crying in her arms, realizing that she had died.

Truman starts heavily drinking in the next episode, struck with grief over Josie's death, but is reminded by Cooper of Josie's criminal past. Truman and Cooper spend the remainder of the second season hunting down Windom Earle, who kidnaps the winner of the Miss Twin Peaks contest, Annie Blackburn. Truman and Cooper track down Annie, finding the extradimensional Black Lodge where Cooper spends the season 2 finale exploring while Truman waits for him.

After an entire day, Truman finds Cooper and Annie outside the Black Lodge and brings Cooper to his hotel room as Annie is brought to the hospital.

Reader's Guide

Harry S. Truman is a central supporting character in Twin Peaks. He serves as the sheriff of Twin Peaks, Washington, a position he held after his father and older brother. His key relationships include his close friendship with FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper, his secret romantic involvement with Josie Packard, and his initial feud-turned-friendship with FBI Agent Albert Rosenfield. Truman's defining moments include punching Albert during a fight over Laura Palmer's body, discovering Josie's death after she killed Thomas Eckhardt, and waiting outside the Black Lodge while Cooper explored it, only to find Cooper and Annie Blackburn the next day.

Truman was startled by Cooper's demeanor after this, which was actually Cooper's doppelgänger. In the 2017 revival, Harry grew ill and his brother Frank Truman took over as sheriff. The character was portrayed by Michael Ontkean, who declined to return for the third season due to retirement. Casting Truman was a difficult process according to Mark Frost, with David Strathairn and Robert Forster being the first people considered to play the role, the latter playing Truman's brother in the 2017 revival series.

Ontkean was cast a week before shooting. Ray Wise also auditioned for the role, but was cast as Leland Palmer instead. Truman's original name in the pilot was Daniel Steadman. The character shares his name with President Harry S. Truman, a portrait of whom can be seen in Sheriff Truman's office, and with Harry R. Truman, the colorful owner of a lodge at Spirit Lake, Washington, who was killed in the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.